blue memories
by HitmanTargetsYou
Summary: One bye one, they left. Little by little, his heart dulled. Memory by memory, they were all dyed into that lonely shade of blue. * A SMALL PREQUEL TO HUNTER X HUNTER: IN MY EYES*


Killua stared at the document before his eyes and looked up at his father. "Dad, is this my target?"

His father nodded and pointed at the picture of the six-year-old. His hair was a mess of blackness and his eyes were the most vibrant shade of blue, and he looked... So glum. Really glum. "This mission is the biggest turning point in your career, so don't mess it up, my son."

"Why? He's just a kid." Killua replied, wondering what would be the quickest way to assassinate this child around his same age. Slit his throat? Strangle him in his sleep? Poison a cookie? The ideas all popped up in his head before his father stopped him. "His uncle was the client. He wants you to kill him in a specific way, to avoid suspicions..."

Suddenly, the doors opened, and a boy emerged. "Father, I have to speak with you... about a certain mission."

"Ah, Kille-nii!" Killua beamed as his twin Killeki looked up at him, smiling lightly. "Hey, Killu." When Killua looked into his brothers face, he could barely sense the sadness behind his voice. "Kille-nii? Are you okay? You look really bummed..." Killua questioned, wondering if he was okay.

"Oh... I... It's..." Killeki shut his mouth. "It's nothing big..."

Killua nodded and Silva spoke up. "What is it, son? I'm having a talk with Killua right now, so you must make it quick."

"It's okay, Dad. I'll just talk with the client... I'll be boarding an airship to Hananoshima at this very moment." Killua walked out the room, and as he passed by his brother, he turned in the nick of time to see tears.

Is Kille-nii crying...? But Kille-nii never cries...

* * *

><p>The Kouta Castle was large, and rather grand. Killua whistled and he looked around the area, and he smiled. This mission was going to be a turning point in his career, and he was looking forward to it. It would greatly please his parents, and Illumi! He smiled to himself as someone tall approached him, with a look of distaste. He had short black hair and blue eyes filled with disgust.<p>

"I do hope you washed yourself before coming here. I would hate for our castle to be tainted by an assassin like yourself." He spoke, and Killua sighed. He was used to the hate. "Yeah, yeah, just take me to the Prince."

The adviser turned around and walked back up the steps. "Follow me. Do not touch anything, and if we pass by His Highness, you will bow like everyone here and honor the young prince, am I clear?"

"Yes."

"Good."

They walked into the castle and Killua looked at it in awe, but wasn't too impressed. He was always thinking it looked kinda like his mansion. As the walked into the hallways, there was a boy ahead of them. He had a blank face, but still looked really... cute. Killua blushed on the inside and cursed himself for thinking that. That's your target! He is NOT supposed to be cute.

"Your Highness! Where are your body guards?! Your advisers?!" The adviser with Killua freaked out, and the boy looked at him with his strange eyes. "I got away from them, of course. Having six-to-seven people all crowding you at once is really annoying, Yoh." The adviser, Yoh, nodded and understood. "Okay, but be careful. Don't get into trouble again."

They walked a little longer until they reached a room of books. Killua immediately thought of a secret room where you just pull a book and viola! Secret room revealed! The adviser and him walked into the seventh row of books and he pulled out a dull, brown ancient one halfway, and part of the wall ahead opened up. Killua raised an eyebrow and he walked in. Yoh didn't come in, but instead closed the door behind him.

"Welcome, Zoldyck child! I'm Renji Kouta, Prince of Hananoshima!"

Killua looked at a man who seemed somewhere in his twenties, and he had long black hair, the same vibrant eyes as Shion, his nephew. "You have the most cliche hiding room I've ever seen."

Renji cocked his head and chuckled. "Well I apologize if this room is not to your liking, but I never imagined that the way a secret room worked effects how well an assassin kills. Oh, and yes, about that mission..." Renji smiled, and folded his arms. "I want you to kill my nephew, of course. It will take a long time... so I want you to befriend him first."

"Befriend him?" Killua thought for a bit. How do you even make friends in the first place? "And, how is he to be killed like this?"

"Well, get his trust first. And it'll take a while for that to happen. Shion has never been one to trust people so easily..." Renji laughed and continued. "Meet him in the forest, warm up to him. Then, become friends. Go from friends to great friends. Then from great friends to dead friend. When you kill him, it will be on a day you both go out to the forest, pick for fruits. Then make his death look like a simple accident!"

"Wouldn't it be suspicious if you hire a Zoldyck then your nephew just dies?" Killua said, and Renji shook his head. "My people don't even know your here, and my closest advisers think I hired you to kill someone else. So, all's well that ends well."

Killua nodded. "I'll get into disguise and meet him today."

* * *

><p>Killua had been following the kid Shion almost all day. And it wasn't at all easy. He was constantly in classes, and whenever he was free, someone was following him. Killua couldn't at all find a time to get him by himself. And worst of all, he hated his disguise. His white dress shirt was slightly too big, and it was kind of uncomfortable. His black vest was tight and his shorts were really baggy. The cap he wore was always getting in his eyes. It also made his black wig so scratchy. Well, at least he looked like the perfect servant.<p>

Then, his lucky break came in. Shion broke away from all those people crowding him and began to head into the forest, carrying a basket of apples. Killua followed him swiftly and observed his actions. Shion was small and kiddish, like a six year old like himself should be, but he was... smarter than he let on. From what he had learned so far, Shion probably knew how to fight. And he was an avid learner, since he was already on third-grade reading and math textbooks. He knew how to ride a horse correctly and how to handle a katana. Killua smiled to himself. This boy might be troublesome after all...

He followed Shion deeper into the woods until he stopped at a creek, and took off his shoes. He sat down at the edge and slipped his legs into the water, leaning back and staring up into the tree tops. Then, he pulled out an apple and bit out of it, relaxing. Killua found his chance and jumped down from the tree.

"Oh, Shion-sama?"

Shion didn't bother turning his head, and continued eating. "Who is it?" Killua smiled cheerfully and ran to his side. "I'm a new servant boy. Sousuke is my name!"

"Hm. And how new are you?" Shion asked. "I was just hired today." Killua replied, and Shion turned to him. "Then what are you doing so far off the area? Shouldn't a servant boy be in the training room?" He questioned, and Killua pursed his lips. "They were busy, so I had free time..."

"Hm. So then, tell me, Leki, what servant boy learns how to completely make his presence disappear until now?" Shion asked, and bit out of his apple again. Killua smirked. Shion was smarter than he let on.

"You seem more like a twelve year old than a six-year-old, Shion-sama." He said. "A lot of my people say that." Shion replied, shrugging. "They say I get it from my teachers and uncle. Even a little bit from my dad."

"Hm, really now?" Killua was impressed. Shion sighed and grabbed an apple, throwing it to Killua. "Take one and sit down." Killua caught it and took a bite out of the hard, juicy fruit before sitting down next to the black-haired child. "So then, tell me. Who are you really?"

"I'm Sousuke, the servant-boy."

"Ah, forget it."

They both ate in silence for a bit before Shion opened his mouth. "What do you do on spare time?" Killua thought for a bit. Should he lie? Or should he tell the truth? Killua weighed the options and smiled. "I like skate-boarding. It's a hobby, I guess."

Shion nodded and he threw an apple up, catching it. He grinned. "Well, do you have any siblings?"

"Nope, I'm an only child."

"What's your favorite book to read?"

"I don't read a lot."

"Hm. Well then, you wanna go play around? Find stuff to explore?" Shion looked at him and Killua nodded slowly. "Sure... That shouldn't be so bad."

* * *

><p>It had been almost two months since Killua befriended Shion, and he wanted a break. He knew in the end it would be bloody, but he found himself getting slowly attached to Shion and his odd ways. Soon enough, he would refuse to kill him, and that would be bad for his career as an assassin. So, a break was what he needed. He lied to Shion that his family was moving, so he'd be gone for a long time. He was still going to send letters, of course. Instead, he was going to Heaven's Arena, with Killeki, as Dad had instructed. Though, lately Killeki has been... very out of it. Every time Killua sent calls and letters, Killeki either never answered, or was just very spaced out or broken sentences. He wasn't his usual, happy self.<p>

When Killua reached the airship, he thought about what could have made him get like this. _I suppose I should ask him..._

~TIME SKIP~

Killua watched Killeki trudge into the home glumly, and when he saw Killua, he brightened up by only a little. "Hi, Killu... Where's Allu-chan? She's usually here waiting for us."

"Dad told me that they locked her up... Apparently she was dangerous." Killua pouted distastefully. "And I can't visit her."

It was true. When Killua came home, expecting a hug from his adorable little sister, instead, he saw Illumi welcoming him inside. He had asked him where Alluka was, but Illumi refused to say, so he had to go to his Dad for answers. Killua didn't like the idea of her being locked up, but he couldn't exactly go get her. He didn't know where she was...

"So then... I guess we just wait for Dad then. Or does he want to find Heaven's Arena on our own?" Killeki asked, and he looked around. Killua shrugged and soon, they both saw their father walking towards them. They both bowed their heads in respect and he led the way.

* * *

><p>"STOP IT! DON'T COME IN HERE! HE'LL HURT YOU TOO!"<p>

"Kille-nii, calm down! Stop panicking, it'll be okay!"

"N-No! NO! GET OUT!"

Killua struggled to keep Killeki from hurting himself, his panic attack getting worse every minute. Killeki was struggling to push Killua out of the room, fearful that 'he' was going to kill him. Finally, finally, he had managed to get Killeki onto the bed. Killeki writhed around and kicked his legs, screaming and shouting bloody murder. He slowly came to a stop, panting and tired. Killua felt a tear slip down his cheeks, desperate to know why Killeki has been so out of character recently. His personality was changing erratically, and he was... scared for him.

He ran a hand through Killeki's hair and dried his wet cheeks. "C'mon Killeki, just go to sleep now... You can talk to me in the morning."

Killeki nodded and he closed his eyes. Killua held the boy in his arms until he fully drifted off into sleep. They were both seven now... Killua wondered if Shion had birthday parties, and he laughed. _Probably really big birthday parties.._.

He decided should add that in his next letter. As he waited, he also wondered if people passing by thought that someone was being murdered, but he let it slip out of his mind. They weren't done with Heaven's Arena yet, but he was getting scared. _What if Killeki gets worse...? This place has been eating at his sanity, and he..._

Killua didn't want to admit this, but Killeki needed help.

* * *

><p>Killua was eight now.<p>

And it has been almost a month since Heaven's Arena. Today he was also not prepared for bad news. When Illumi came back to check on Killeki, he had... Disappeared. Ran away.

"I looked everywhere in that temple for fighting, but he wasn't anywhere. I presume he ran away, somewhere to escape being an assassin." Illumi said, and Silva thought for a bit. "Send five butlers out. Their mission is to find and capture him. I don't care how long it takes, they do not come back unless they have something to report or if they have him in their custody. If they run away, they will be found and killed."

"Yes, Father."

"And Killua." Killua turned to his father and he quickly informed him, "The Prince wants Shion killed in a week. Make it happen."

* * *

><p>"Shion..."<p>

It's been nearly a week now. And Killua only found himself getting even more attached than now, seeing him in the flesh. They were outside, sitting on a large tree. He held the boy's hand tightly, in fear that he too, might disappear. But... It was inevitable. They were both eight now, and they understood things better now. Shion could read his mood, and he looked at him. "What's wrong, Sousuke? You sound sad."

"... nothing. I just wanted to say your name."

Shion turned back towards the sunset and laughed. Killua loved his laugh. It made him feel like the loneliness inside wasn't there... It reminded him he still had Shion by his side...

_... At least until you kill him._

* * *

><p>Shion disappeared. Advisers were freaking out, bodyguards were blaming themselves and each other, and Prince Renji was being weirdly calm about this.<p>

He told everyone that Shion probably ran away into the town for a while, and that he would come back. Killua secretly hoped for that, but he knew that even if he was right... I would have to murder him.

In fact, Killua was happy. Really happy. He was so happy, when he crept into the woods, and looked for the fellow eight-year-old, he sobbed. He sobbed when he couldn't find him. He sobbed when he realized he was alone. He sobbed, knowing that he would be alone for a long time.

* * *

><p>It had been five years.<p>

Killua just rebelled against his family. He cut his mothers face and cut up Milluki. In that moment, he had escaped off to take the Hunters Exam, and relished in his victory. As of now, he was wandering through a crowd of all types of people with weird abilities and weapons. As he looked at foreign faces, he caught sight of a boy... He looked so different, yet felt the same as..

"Shion...?" 


End file.
